"Most Michigan black bears begin life
in the normally dark to semi-dark interior of a den during
January. Cubs average about 12 ounces in weight when born,
but large ones may weigh as much as a pound. The newborns
are basically hairless, with their eyes closed. The tiny
bears' hair grows quickly after birth and their eyes open
after about six weeks.

As many as five cubs may be born to an
exceptionally healthy, adult female bear. One year I
photographed a large female with five cubs on a Menominee
County farm. Although females with five cubs aren't often
seen, the birth of four cubs to Michigan females is not
unusual. During the winter of 1994-'95, for example,
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildlife biologists
documented the presence of denned females with four cubs
each in Alger, Dickinson and Menominee Counties In the Upper
Peninsula (U.P.); Wexford and Montmorency Counties in the
northern Lower Peninsula. The average number of cubs born to
adult females is between two and three.

Winter may seem an odd time for such
helpless creatures to be born and it is, compared to other
mammals in the state, but it is something the animals are
well adapted for. In spite of the harsh weather common
during Michigan winters, most cubs manage to stay warm and
thrive on a rich diet of milk provided by their mothers. The
temperature inside maternal bear dens might be a little
warmer than outside, but the mother bear is the real heater.
Cubs stay warm by clinging to their mothers during the first
weeks of life. As their hair grows, it provides enough
insulation to help keep them warm, too."

Quote from "Understanding
Michigan Black Bear" by Richard P. Smith

To learn more unique aspects of the
black bears' life history, their habits,
and behavior read Understanding Michigan Black Bear by
Richard P. Smith.

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